I remember those times when my dad used wait for the NEWS in DD all evening for that 1/2 hour of serious reading of news (more like somebody was reading a newspaper). Their attempt of making it interesting was excellent they would raise and watch the viewers for some time that’s when I think they realised they are actually addressing millions of helpless viewers.
Well in the mid nineties there was this refreshing program in the same DD channel on Friday’s between 10:00 PM to 10:30 PM. The program was called ’’The World This Week’’. Here suddenly we were introduced to this middle aged guy with a beard and smartly dressed in a suit who made current affair program a really interesting this was the earliest introduction to Indian viewers of New Delhi Television or NDTV as we know it now. The person who anchored and produced that show (also started NDTV) was none other then Prannoy Roy.
He became such a hit that he was more of a star. People started to appreciate his political understanding with his excellent coverage of the elections (another feather in NDTV’s cap). He also introduced to us the excellent Vinod Dua to us (well personally consider him the best we have when it comes to current affairs in Hindi).
Continuing this great tradition NDTV soon tied up with STAR TV to give us the ’’STAR NEWS’’ channel. Here was complete 24-hour channel, which gave all round coverage of NEWS from current affairs to off beat to sports and entertainment. It was and still the only channel which has a repository of great news anchors who not only were excellent in their job but also went on to make great impact in their delivery they took TV journalism to great heights other news channels who came in were only loyal followers of STAR news.
STAR news introduced some of the formidable guys in the news anchors like Vikram Chandra, Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep sardesai, Arnob goswani (with some exceptions like Pankaj Pachauri and erstwhile Amrita Cheema and some others) to name a few not to forget their comprehensive bureau spread all over the country who are always there where it matters. They are not only the first to get any news they are always accurate in what they report.
One of the main strengths of Star News is their way getting on to right politician across all parties and they always get the important guy (like George Fernandes at the time of tehalka scam) when it really matters. The anchors know the right questions to ask to right person. They have got all the right moves.
Enjoy!! Watching this news they are as best as they come.
May their tribe increase.